see also

The International Tennis Federation has launched an investigation into Romanian...

LONDON — Ilie Nastase, the captain of Romania’s Fed Cup team, has been provisionally suspended from the competition for abusing players and the umpire during the playoff match against Britain.

The International Tennis Federation, which organizes the Fed Cup, said Sunday that Nastase “may not participate in the Fed Cup in any capacity with immediate effect.”

The 70-year-old Nastase was heard hurling expletives at British player Johanna Konta, Britain captain Anne Keothavong and the umpire during Konta’s match against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea on Saturday. Nastase was sent off the court by referee Andreas Egli and, after taking a seat in the stands, was then sent back to the locker room.

Nastase, a former world No. 1 in the 1970s, also publicly hurled insults at a British journalist in Constanta on Saturday, a day after apparently making racially offensive comments about Serena Williams’ pregnancy.

“Let’s see what color it has. Chocolate with milk?” he was quoted by Romanian and some British media as saying.

ITF president David Haggerty condemned Nastase for his “unacceptable behavior.”